Mr Combet said last week's events were a "fiasco" and his colleagues need to concentrate on the battle with the party's real opposition - Coalition leader Tony Abbott.

"I was just astonished at what was taking place," Mr Combet said.

"The concept that has developed in recent years .. that somehow or other it's legitimate to deliberately undermine and destabilise your own side of politics, to undermine your own leader, your own political party, particularly while it's in government, so that you can bring about some leadership change - I think is a disgusting disgrace.

"And that culture that has developed in backgrounding journalists, in leaking information in order to promote some individual's ambition, has to be wiped out of the Labor party.

"It just cannot continue. No-one has any respect for that, and it must stop."

That culture that has developed in backgrounding journalists, in leaking information in order to promote some individual's ambition, has to be wiped out of the Labor party.

Greg Combet

Ms Gillard emerged victorious from a special caucus meeting last Thursday after Kevin Rudd refused his supporters' calls to again stand for the leadership.

The farce claimed Rudd backers Chris Bowen, Martin Ferguson and Kim Carr who all resigned from the ministry. The man who first called on the PM to spill the leadership, Simon Crean, was sacked from his portfolios of the Arts and Regional Australia.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Richard Marles, also resigned.

In a sign Ms Gillard wants to take a more inclusive approach with this reshuffle, Rudd supporter and senior frontbencher Anthony Albanese is tipped to win a promotion, possibly adding Regional Affairs to his existing job of Transport and Infrastructure.

The job involves delicate negotiations with the independent MPs in the lower house, something Mr Albanese already engages in as Leader of the House.

He was named as Kevin Rudd's favoured deputy if he had returned to the leadership, but Mr Albanese says he never supported a spill.

"Well it's very clear in terms of the Prime Minister's position - [she] has expressed that she has confidence in me," he said.

"I think the fact that the Opposition seems so intent on being critical of me, says something about the performance that I've made in the parliament."

WA Labor MP and Special Minister of State Gary Gray, who is also a former Woodside executive, is widely expected to win the role of Resources and Energy.

Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Mike Kelly could also be in line for promotions.